Piston ring



Aug. ll, 1925` w, G. BUSH PISTON RING Filed Feb. s, 1923 witness I Il l` Qui-MM ff mm Patented Aug. l1, 1925.

UNITE STAT lated? PISTON RING.

Application filed February 8, 1923.

To all @0.7mm t may concern.'

Be it known that l, WALTER (fr, BUSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Piston Rings: and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and enact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in piston rings and has for its principal object to provide a simple and inexpensive ring designed primarily for use in connection with aluminum pistons and so constructed that its inherent resiliency is not relied upon to expand it within the cylinder, thus enabling the use of bronze or other soft metal in the manufacture of the ring so that there is no danger whatever of scoring the cylinder wall. j

The ring is formed of four sections which break joints with each other and a further object is to provide novel connecting means between these sections whereby forcing two of them outwardly under spring` pressure, will transmit similar movement to the other sections, forming a tight contact with the cylinder wall while permitting relative movement of the sections in adapting them to worn cylinders.

Another object is to provide connecting` means between the ring sections which, while permitting assembly of these sections in the ring groove and removal t-hereof when necessary, will not permit accidental removal of the ring when the piston is out of the cylinder.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view showing a ring constructed in accordance with the present invention, applied to a piston and cylinder.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the ring.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view as indicated by line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4L is a disassembled plan view of the ring, showing more particularly the formation of its several sections.

In the drawing above briefly described, the numerals 1 designate a pair of substan- 'in which springs 3 are mounted to enga Serial N'o. 617,810.

tially fiat sean-circular ring sections disposed in the same plane with their ends contiguous to each other, the inner edges o sL id sections being formed with recesses 0 el the bottom ofthe ring groove and force thc two sections outwardly away from each other for tightl contact with the cylinder wall. To guide the sections in this movement, they are each preferably provided with a central radial rib 4f, these ribs being received in` grooves 5 formed in one side of the ring groove. The springs 3 are preferably of bowed form and they may well be secured to the ring sections 1 by having inwardly extending integral feet 6, secured by appropriate fasteners 7 to the inner ends of the ribs 1, which ends may extend beyond the walls of the recesses 2, for this purpose.

Contacting with one flat radial side of the sect-ions 1vand breaking joints with these sections, are two additional sections 8 which are of arcuate form but are preferably somewhat shorter than the sections 1. The central portions of these sections 1, are preferably thickened as indicated at 9 between the ends of the two sections 8, in order to prevent chattering of said central portions in the ring groove. These thickened portions will also prevent any excessive turning of the sections 8 circumferentially of the sections 1.

As above described, means are provided for forcing the ring sections 1 radially outward and I make novel provision whereby this movement is imparted also to the ring sections 8, without the use of additional springs for these last named sections. In the present showing, the sides of the sections 1, with which the sections 8 contact, are formed with circumferentially extending grooves 1() adjacent the ends of the sections 1. The ends of the grooves 10 remote from D al .the ends of the ring sections 1, preferably open laterally through the peripheries of said sections as indicated at 11 in order that projections 12 on the inner faces of the ring sections 8, may enter the grooves 10 through said portions 11, when assembling the ring, and may pass outwardlythrough said groove portions when disassembling.

When the ring is assembled and the sections 1 are forced outwardly by the springs 3, the. inner side walls 13 of the grooves 10 thrust against the projections 12 of the il t) sections 8, thereby providing co-operating shoulders which transmit the radial movement of the sections l to the sections 8. Thus, the entire ring is expanded for tight contact with the cylinder wall and relative movement of the several sections, is permitted, thus allowing the ring to be readily adapted to uneven cylinder walls.

The. ring may be used on numerous kinds of pistons, but is Well adapted tor aluminum or other light metal constructions. The several sections of the ring may well be formed ol very soft material, as separate springs are provided for expanding these sections against the cylinder wall, instead of relying on any inherent resiliency of the metal. One advantage ot' this sot't metal formation, is that there is no possibility o't' scoring the cylinder wall. Other' advantages 'for the construction shown, are that a leak proeft ring is provided and one which will effectively prevent side slap of aluminum or other comparatively light pistons.

As excellent results may be obtained from the details disclosed, they may well be tollowed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may be made.

I claim:

l. A piston ring comprising a pair of diametrically opposed substantially semi-circular ring sections in a common plane, spring means for forcing said sections outwardly away from each other on ra diametrical line, one radial side ot each ring having an L-shaped groove near each ot its ends, one end portion of said groove being disposed circumt'erentially of the ring section, while the other endA portion of such groove opens Athrough the peripheral edge ot' said section,

a second pair ot arcuate ring sections contacting with said radial side of said iii-st named sections and breaking joint-s therewith, and projections on said second pair ot arcuate ring sections, said projections being slidably received in the first named end portions o' said Lshaped grooves.

2. A pisto-n ring including a pair o' substantially semi-circular ring sections disposed in a common plane and provided with central radially disposed ribs on one side, said ribs extending beyond the inner portions of the sections, said portions having circumterentially elongated recesses, and bowed springs positioned in said recesses to engage the bottom ot' the ring groove and torce the ring sections outwardly, said springs having inwardly extending feet secured to the inwardly projecting ends of said ribs.

In testimony whereof I have. hereunto at'- iiXed my signature.

WALTER G. BUSH. 

